Pneumatic arch supporter



Oct. 9, 1934. o. D, CLARK PNEUMATIC ARCH SUPPORTER Filed Feb. 8, 1955 Patented Oct. 9, 1934i UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE Application February 8,

1 Claim.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in pneumatic arch supporters.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a pneumatic arch supporter properly designed to iit within shoes and to be constructed in dirferent sizes to extend over substantially the entire area of the inner sole with all sections thereof comprising the heel, center arch and toe portion oi double wall construction for the pneumatic support of the foot of the user.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pneumatic arch supporter of the foregoing character that may be constructed of rubber and leather or rubberized fabric and embodying oiset side portions for the support of lateral portions of the instep oi the foot and further embodying inflating means that may form a permanent part of the arch supporter.

With the above and other objects in View that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing and claimed.

1n the drawing:-

Figure 1 is a top plan View of a pneumatic arch supporter constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side edge elevational view of the supporter;

Figure 3 is a side edge elevational view of the opposite side of the supporter, showing the inflating device carried thereby;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional View taken on line 'fi- 4 of Figure 1 of the toe portion of the supporter;

Figure 5 a cross-sectional View taken on line 5-5 oi' Figure 1, showing a section of the supn porter of increased area to provide a mounting for the inflating device; and

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Figure 1 of the heel portion of the supporter. v

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawing, the reference character 10 designates a pneumatic arch supporter that may be constructed of any material `desired such as rubber, rubber and leather, rubberized fabric or other materials impervious to air. The supporter ncludes a heel portion 11, an intermediate instep or metatarsal portion 12 and a toe portion 13.

The supporter is of double wall construction, having an upper wall 14 and a bottom wall 15 connected by side walls 16 and 17, the wall structure providing a pneumatic chamber 18, the sup- 1933, Serial No. 655,799

porter being closed at the toe and heel end portions thereof by end walls following the outlines of said portions.

The arch supporter is designed to t each shoe of the wearer and the toe portion 13 is of reduced width as at 19, and the upper Wall 14 for a portion thereof Voverlying the toe section 13 is bulged upwardly as at 20 in bulbous form to constitute a support for the ball of the foot, the curved end Wall portions 21 of the toe section flaring outwardly to meet the more widely spaced side walls 16 and 17 of the supporter as shown in Figure 1.

The instep or longitudinal arch portion 12 of the supporter has the upper Wall 14 thereof provided at opposite sides with longitudinally eX- tending bulbous ridges 22 and 23 respectively for the lateral support of the instep portionrof the foot of the wearer, the bulbous portion 23 eX tending forwardly into the toe section 13, Vboth of said bulbous ridges 22 and 23 being fashioned for` intimate contact with adjacent portions of the foot of the wearer. I

The means for inating the pneumatic arch supporter is carried by the heel and instep portions 11 and 12 respectively, a portionof the wall 17 being of increased cross-sectional area as at 24 providing a support for the inflating valve stem 25 that carries a bulbous handle 26 disposed beneath the bulbous ridge 23 as shown in Figure 3 and Within the extreme circumference of the arch supporter. The valve stem 25 includes a check valve permitting the flow of air through the stem when the bulbous handle 26 is operated to enter the chamber 18. The toe, instep and heel portions of the supporter are in open communication with each other for the infiat-ion of the supporter and the charging of the chamber 18 with air under pressure.

VThe arch supporter being of a pneumatic character, the same automatically shapes itself to the foot of the wearer, the bulbous portion 20 rising from the toe section 13 providing a support for the ball of the foot while the bulbous ridges 22 and 23 at opposite sides of the instep section 12 constitute an additional support and brace for the metatarsal bones of the foot. Y

While there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is nevertheless to be understood, that minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:-

In a pneumatic arch support, a supporter including spaced walls forming an air chamber,

bulbous ba11 and longitudinal arch 'supporting portions rising from the upper wall of the supporter, one side of the bulbous longitudinal arch supporting portion defining an underlying cavity exteriorly of the supporter, the Wall of the supporter at the rear end of the` pocket being of increased thickness, an inflating valve stem for 

